The Letter
Seen it?1940 | 95 min | Crime, Drama
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it drew serious awards attention. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans. If you loved Witness for the Prosecution or Insomnia, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 35 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1940: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
After a woman shoots a man to death, a damning letter she wrote raises suspicions.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.3 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Nominated for 7 Oscars.
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 66K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Witness for the Prosecution Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed crime drama.
Insomnia
Saturday SpecialAnother crime drama.
The Silence of the Lambs Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed crime drama.
Fargo Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed crime drama.
The Shawshank Redemption Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed crime drama.
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Cast & crew
Directed by William Wyler
- Bette DavisLeslie Crosbie
- Herbert MarshallRobert Crosbie
- James StephensonHoward Joyce
- Frieda InescortDorothy Joyce
- Gale SondergaardMrs. Hammond
- Bruce LesterJohn Withers
- Elizabeth InglisAdele Ainsworth
- Cecil KellawayPrescott
- Victor Sen YungOng Chi Seng
- Doris LloydMrs. Cooper